114 Responses to “Barista's "Starbucks Rant" song gets him fired”

Events like this are why the IWW is organizing at Starbucks. You have the right to bitch about your job. Any employer who can’t stand derision from their employees should and must be driven out of business.

Employees do have a right to bitch about their job. They do not have a right to freedom from the consequences of that choice, and their job itself is not a right. That’s what happens when you bite the hand that feeds you.

“In fact, the right to a job is a matter of law—and has been for 62
years!”

I think you need to actually read those laws. The 1946 act basically requires the formation of an advisory group on the economy and an annual report of suggestions from the president. The 1978 bill suggests that the president and congress ‘work toward’ full employment…and creating temporary government jobs to do it. But the only actual requirement the law has is some administrative requirements of again forming councils, publishing papers and now the president needs to release a fiscal plan…which he has no actual power to enact.

None of which constitutes a RIGHT to a job…merely a desire to see that everyone who wants to be employed can be. “Full Employment” is the jobs-market equivalent of “world-peace”.

Doesn’t sound like he’s deriding Starbucks so much as their customer base. They’re a service company. They make money on the image that Starbucks employees are helpful and friendly while they make you your coffee. This guy didn’t attack Starbucks directly, he attacked the class of people who go to Starbucks (who, according to friends who’ve worked at Starbucks are awful tippers). Sure, as employees we all do it. I used to bitch constantly to co-workers about customers. But I never posted a video online where I begin a verse of complaint with “If I have to serve another latino…”

I’m glad IWW is involved with Starbucks on things like recognizing MLK day. But I have a hard time saying that this is something IWW should get all over.

And in your perfect-world-everybody-belongs-to-a-union, Starbucks costs even more than it does now, and the baristas are free to complain about customers directly to their face. Then gee, I wonder why nobody goes there anymore?

Funny, and I love Louis CK, however, we don’t know that this guy didn’t do his job well. I “did the shit out of” every job I have had in life, from dish washer at 19 to prepress technician at 35. Doesn’t mean I didn’t hate some of those jobs. (And in point of fact, I hated the prepress tech job and didn’t really mind the dishwashing job. :D )

Frankly, he knew what he was doing and that it would lead to this and how can anyone be surprised by the outcome? He wore the apron and he mentioned the company. Had he just said he worked in a coffee shop it wouldn’t be so bad.

This is quite different from the guy who worked at Best Buy and made the video about people wanting an iphone just because it was an iphone. In that case there was nothing readily identifying the employee or his employer. That kind of stuff should be ok.

Perhaps he should have. Or perhaps not, the line between your professional life and your off-duty life is confusing now that the media you produce for your on-line community can very occasionally cross over.

Regardless, I think employees *should* be able to produce creative critique of their work lives. Just because someone pays you minimum wage shouldn’t mean they can decide what you say in your time off.

Obviously in this case Starbucks had the power to do so, and chose to exercise that power. But that doesn’t make it right.

It doesn’t make it right, but that’s the way the world works. If I’m employed at someone’s pleasure, it is not in my interests to displease that person. It’s dishonest, it’s soul-crushing and it’s unfair, but we live in an imperfect world and I can’t pay my mortgage with angst.

Ultimately it’s the employer’s right to say, “if you don’t like coming to work, don’t come to work anymore. You’re welcome.”

The thing is, he wasn’t criticizing Starbucks… he was criticizing the customers. Big difference, and they were 100% justified in firing him. Any idiot knows that when you dress up in your company’s uniform and publicly insult your patrons, you are begging to be fired.

Ok, he’s complaining about things like making sandwiches and adding an extra shot of espresso to a latte. Are those unreasonable requests? I did several years in food service. I’ve experienced horrible customers, and I’ve seen awful people at Starbucks. But I fail to see how serving a Latino a caramel frapuccino or giving a rich white lady skim milk is actually something that inconveniences him.

He has the right to complain about his job, but when he readily identifies his employer, the employer has a right to fire him. And the fact that he’s a whiney douchebag makes me a little less inclined to sympathize with him.

He wrote a funny calling out some nominally frustrating things about his job. Where I come from that sort of act can be positive catharsis. It’s not clear to me that this wouldn’t actually be good for barista morale.

If the jobs on the lowest rungs were fulfilling, interesting and fun, they wouldn’t be on the lowest rungs. There’s a reason Starbucks hires teens and kids fresh out of college to be baristas; it’s unpleasant work that requires very little skill or knowledge. Your employer is not your parent, and a paycheck is not allowance.

That’s all well and good but how many of say even the top 1000 baristas in the world work at a flippin’ starbucks. My completely non-fact based assertion is NONE. I mean I’m sure it’s possible that at least a few work FOR starbucks but none work at any old starbucks.

Also that’s not to say that all regular starbucks baristas are untrained or unskilled, many are, but the level of skill most have or learn is nowhere near that required to be an olympic level coffee preparer. Because if they did have those skills/talent they would be utter morons to work at a starbucks for near minimum wage and paltry tips. Your argument is as weak and overwrought as coffee from starbucks.

If you think this dude shouldn’t have been fired for naming his employer and then wearing the uniform, you also “don’t know how the world works.” At this point this kid is double ignorant: he made a public rant about work — identifying his workplace — and then put that rant on the internet, where anyone his age, especially — if they know anything — knows that it could become widespread and that it’s there for ALL to see.

There needs to be a new course for all ages, but required for people under 30, called The Marketplace of Ideas in the 21st Century: Social Media, Your Reputation, and You.

Also, a Starbucks employee is the least credible spokesperson for “wage slaves.” Starbucks employees get tips and even part time employees get health benefits (I’m pretty sure they still do). I’ve know many people who have worked at Starbucks and, yes, it sounds like it sucks. But like Louis CK said, “That’s why we gave [the job] to you.” Now “do the shit out of it.” You’ll be a better person for it.Having a service industry past myself, I was always courteous to Starbucks employees (even the inept-with-attitude) and I always tipped, even tough I only ever got a tall, black coffee. Then one day at the drive through, I received a tall cup of black coffee — the cups that had the big “YOU” on the side, and somone had written “SUCK.” It was the first time I ever spoke to a manager at Starbucks and I haven’t gone back since.

Also, a Starbucks employee is the least credible spokesperson for “wage slaves.” Starbucks employees get tips and even part time employees get health benefits (I’m pretty sure they still do).

You conveniently leave out the actual low wage that’s paid. Also, how sick employees will be worked to death under threat of losing said health benefits. The benefits are often used as a stick and carrot to force employees into bad situations that benefit the profits of the megalomanical CEO Howard Schultz at the expense of others.

Then one day at the drive through, I received a tall cup of black coffee — the cups that had the big “YOU” on the side, and somone had written “SUCK.”

That’s strange, never happened to me or anyone else I know… ever. Maybe you could benefit from some more self-reflection?

No wonder they fired him. Who wants to be associated with such lack of talent. Dressing up a disgruntled and obscene opinion with a tune does not make a song. Maybe someone out there can write something of value to make this statement, but this ain’t it

Apparently I’m one of the few people who reads through all that fine print they make you sign when you get a job at a big company. I bet there is a line or clause that says he is not allowed to slander the company in anyway, and his life/actions outside of the company can be a reflection on the company if he is acting in a way that represents them…

So in this case, yes, he screwed up and should be punished.
I worked for Dell, but no where on the internet did I slander them or say how much my job sucked, even if it did.

I’m not tipping a person behind the counter, whose job it is to take/make my order. That’s their job. No one tipped me when I was a cashier or bagger at a grocery store. (Well maybe if I went the extra mile and loaded bags into the car for an old lady while it was pouring down rain, but that was like twice a year.)

I’m already paying for overpriced burnt coffee…I don’t think I need to leave you some extra for pretending to be courteous to me. Besides I go to the local coffee shop now, where they really are friendly. (And from time to time I might tip.)

I was just teasing you. The way you worded it earlier, it sounded like you go out of your way to pay more money for burnt coffee like any good gimp looking for punishment would do.

Plus, if you think the coffee is burnt you should return it and they give you another one from a different batch and even probably a coupon for a free purchase next time.

I admit I’m not a great judge of coffee either and I tend to prefer local shops not really because of the taste of the coffee itself, but more because it supports local shops and I usually enjoy local flavor over corporate conformity.

Nonetheless, I often go to Starbucks when I need coffee and wifi. Some of my favorite local coffee shops have sketchy, very slow wifi and that’s frustrating when I’ve got work to do in a pinch.

Return it? Maybe if it wasn’t what I ordered…maybe. Considering my ability to actually make a decent cup of coffee is about 2/10, then whatever they serve me is probably a whole lot better than I could make for myself. Besides I don’t drink much coffee, at most once a week.

Right, and I don’t tip at buffets either. Tips are for good service. Allowing me to patronize the establishment is not service. Handing me the item I purchased is not service. If it is, then let me go back there and get it myself.

You sound like the kind of guy who probably perpetuates poor service. You come into a place with an arrogant attitude and wonder why the staff isn’t friendly to you. That only reinforces your notions of them being “unskilled” or shitty workers.

“Oh great, I have to take time away from my nice tipping customers to deal with lobster guy again…..”

Umm… is it wrong to suggest that someone with no training, no experience and no higher education is usually unskilled? There’s no shame in that. We all start out there, and then we get experience, we get training, we get education, and we move up. I’m actually extremely polite to waiters and cashiers because I know their job is rough. When they provide a service – as in the case of a waiter – and do a good job of it, I tip generously. When they provide a service and do a lousy job of it, I still tip, just not as much.

If it’s arrogant of me to think that a tip (and a good job) should be earned then yes, I am arrogant. That’s how the world works. It doesn’t care about your self-esteem or sense of entitlement.

One thing that I noticed about YOU, Cowcide, is your constant berating of other commentators.
It’s like you’re always desperately trying to prove some kind of intellectual and moral superiority.
I grow weary of your childishness.

One thing that I noticed about YOU, Cowcide, is your constant beautification of other commentators. You’re always proving some kind of intellectual and moral superiority and that’s amazing. I grow horny from your words. Hint: Find some gainful vacation.

That’s generally how I treat people, including close friends. Is that wrong of me? Is it degrading show people courtesy? I joke with them, I thank them, if they’re wearing a nametag I call them by name… Is that disrespectful?

Ugh, I HATE nametags. What are we, pets? It makes my skin crawl when a stranger calls me by name and I haven’t given it to them. Do I get to call them by their name? Not usually. It’s just another way they can treat you like you are lesser than them.

Julia, if someone’s wearing a nametag it’s not because I demanded it. I don’t call them by their name because I think they’re a pet or I want to assert control over them, I do it because they’re a human being with a name and by some means I have learned that name. If they want to know my name I’ll give it readily and if they don’t have a nametag but introduce themselves then I’ll use that name too.

Is there ANYTHING I can possibly say that isn’t the absolute most monstrous thing to do? Even if I’m doing it wrong, can you at least grant me that I’m TRYING to treat them like people?

Really? They hate me because I treat them with respect, don’t yell at them, or feel like it has always got to be my way? Naw, they must hate me because I don’t tip them for doing their job…

Give me a reason to tip you besides doing what you are paid to do and I might consider it. Now I certainly tip servers/waitstaff, but it’s rare I tip people behind the counter.

Trust me when I was on the other side of that counter I was polite, and got yelled at, and in general treated everyone with respect. I’ve even managed a retail store before, and if you can’t treat my employees or me with a little self respect I had no problems telling a customer to leave.

Depending on what you order, a drink straight off the menu (nothing extra) at Starbucks can cost you $4-6. Would it kill us to give them a buck as a tip? No, but… that’s ridiculously expensive to start with, and if it was considered socially essential to tip, I would just never go (I don’t actually ever go to Starbucks as I’m not a big coffee person, unless someone drags me there).

Would it be better, in your mind, for people who don’t think it’s necessary to tip at a coffee shop (excepting some unusually excellent service) to simply not come at all? We’re spending our own hard-earned money on a drink that can’t cost more than $0.50-1.00 to make (allowing for exotic ingredients, *and* the employee’s time).

So we’re already paying an extra $3-4 as the cost of having them provide this service instead of making the drink ourselves.

Yes, they do get paid. Tips are taxed like income. When a person is paying for something they should get what they pay for. Starbucks is flippin’ expensive. And the servers (SERVERS) should be at least personable so as to attract return customers so they can get more and better tips. No one is expecting to be fawned over — at least I hope not.

starbucks pools their tips and distributes them evenly amongst the employees. you aren’t tipping the cashier, you’re tipping everyone working that day, including the person making your drink and the person cleaning the dishes in the back room

I have been a cashier and a blackjack dealer, and while I do not dispute that it is possible to be a proud, excellent and professional barista (and there is no shame in that), none of the baristas I’ve ever known (of which there have been several) intended to make a career of it. They were all just looking for summer jobs, or to work through university.

I don’t think it’s classist or elitist of me to acknowledge that, and I would ask you, respectfully, to stop making so many assumptions about me and about others. Calling me a jerk is not going to foster any sort of conversation here.

I tip because wages (even slightly above minimum wage) are not rising as fast as the prices of rent, transportation, insurance, food and tuition. They are providing a service I could easily do myself. The tip is in gratitude for not having to, and a little extra for the smile, humor and cheerfulness.

You should have been tipped out. Each server should have given you at LEAST ten percent of their tips. You got ripped off (IMO). Really, that sounds just unfair. :(

But, it isn’t fair (nor is it kind!) to not tip others because you got screwed. Reminds me of a certain anti-union sentiment I hear a lot, given my geolocation… “If I can’t have those things, why should THEY get them?” :/

He admits to doing a bad job in his song when he admits to not giving the customer what they order. He’s wearing the apron over his underwear in “public”. Those are reasons enough to get fired, aren’t they?

This would have been cool if he posted it on the day he walked out of his job, but for him to expect to go in to work the next day?!

He admits to doing a bad job in his song when he admits to not giving the customer what they order. He’s wearing the apron over his underwear in “public”. Those are reasons enough to get fired, aren’t they?

This would have been cool if he posted it on the day he walked out of his job, but for him to expect to go in to work the next day?!

My God, you people need to lighten up a little, the video was a joke and you guys are picking it apart to determine whether “he does a good or bad job” based on joke lyrics? Don’t you folks have better targets out there for your angst?

Now, head on out to a Starbucks and act like abusive control freaks to the employees there; I’m sure you will all feel much better afterwards.

One thing I note about people I’m hanging with offline is how they treat service people. It’s a good barometer of what kind of people they are. This thread is pretty telling, some of you posters are real uptight dicks.

Maybe some of his pissiness comes from the way in which Starbucks try to persuade their workers that they’re not mere servers of drinks in coffee-shops. Oh no, they’re “baristas”.
(Am I the only person who finds that word ludicrous)
I can understand the guy whining about the job, but, to be surprised when his employers aren’t keen to further employ a customer service worker who openly despises customers? Whilst wearing his Starbucks apron?
What did he expect?

Oh no, they’re “baristas”. (Am I the only person who finds that word ludicrous)

Almost everything about a modern coffee shop is ludicrous. When I order coffee (I don’t go t Starbucks because I think the coffee is bad, but it’s the same everywhere) I just can’t force myself to use the affected “tall” and “grande” etc. I use the more modern “medium.”

I spent two years and change working in a Starbucks. It’s by far not the worst job I’ve ever had, but I understand the kids frustration.

My particular location had one customer who would call and threaten and curse us out every few weeks to claim that her order had been made wrong. Every few weeks. After a while, and making sure there was an extra dose of quality control when she came in the store, we told her we weren’t going to serve her anymore. She called a district manager, who then required we provide her with free product, because we’d told her not to come back. Two weeks later, another phone call, more threats.

You can say, “that’s how the world works” and claim this kid has no right to complain and so forth, and I get that, but you’re essentially selling yours and our first amendment rights down the river at that point because your saying, “The government doesn’t have the right to sanction my speech, but these people, a company who has no responsibility to us as a society and no loyalty to our well being, they can sanction my speech, anytime they want.”

Don’t complain about corporate campaign donations taking over elections and so forth, if you’re just going to bend over or kneel down at every opportunity your damn self. Have some self respect.

What speech was sanctioned? His video is still on youtube. It wasn’t taken down. He has no guarantee of the right to keep his job after exercising his free speech…but that has NOTHING to do with the First Amendment. Congress has not abridged his right to speak his mind. Hell, Starbucks hasn’t even requested his video be removed or his follow-up video. There’s no censorship going on here, just some whining.

Anyone who has ever worked a customer service job has had to deal with bad customers. That is life, likewise everyone has dealt with people who should not work in customer service. Did he have a right to complain? Yeah. Does Starbucks have a right to fire him for making disparaging remarks about the clientele and implying that he intentionally messed up orders, and did not follow company policies. Yeah.

This isn’t about the government action or protected speech. The first amendment applies to Government not being able to arrest or sanction your speech. It does not protect you against due or undue social pressure or your own violation of contractual agreements that you might have made.

I can do you one better. I also used to work at Starbucks. There was a lady who would come by and crap everywhere in the bathroom. She didn’t use the bathroom everytime she was in, but I guarantee you, when she did, we’d have to close it and clean.

All she bought was a large hot chocolate. Not a really big loss if we ban her for shitting, right?

Management wouldn’t let us ban her. No, it was better to waste a half hour of my staff time cleaning up her excrement.

I got paid 8.40 an hour, so it was 4.20 to pay me to clean up after her, a hot chocolate costs less.

I guess if that’s how he feels about his customers and the trials of his job, Starbucks did him a big favor by firing him?

Even though this is probably meant to be light–just blowing off steam in a funny, creative way–there remains an undeniable vibe of whiny, self-entitled prick to this video.

But we would react a lot differently if they guy were quitting his job, and this video was his open letter to Starbucks explaining his decision to quit. If that were the case, this would be pure awesome.

His song is mostly about how awful the customers are, and how miserable he is as a result. It does touch a little on how bad the products are when he makes them, substituting decaf for regular, and feces for whipped cream. And rather than keep his complaints private, he decided to make them very, very public. All in all, its pretty damaging to both Starbucks and his coworkers as well. I dont think he qualifies as some sort of whistle-blower, he’s just an asshole who needs to find a job that’s not in the service industry.

I’m glad that Starucks encouraged him to find new opportunities; if I see this guy playing at an open mic night, I’ll give him a few bucks. But if I see him pulling shots at a Peet’s, I’d give him the finger and walk right out the door.

Most everyone bitches about their jobs in public – in the pub, on the street. Bitching and public space aren’t important and nor’s the kid’s talent. The thing went viral, and the corporate immune system sneezed.

Now, can you be held responsible for putting something out that is aimed at your fifty netfriends, but which gets enjoyed by umpty-thousands? That seems kinda harsh.

To be honest i can not even pretend to be interested in this shirtless dweebs rant much less even waste 3 mins watching such bs videos…but I will say this that Dominatrix chix Doc Tress Julie or whatever she calls “herself” sure seems to enjoy getting rantified…maybe a little unwinding of pantys is in order

Just came here to say Suport Your Local Independent Coffee Bar! I was in mine yesterday, Momento on fourth in Vancouver. Fantastic atmosphere. Staff and customers chat for ages. Everyone gets on. Its a bit like Cheers only with coffee instead of Beer.

No. I’m not affiliated. Really. I just love good coffee and dislike the homogeneity of corporate coffee bars.

Ouch. Hard to watch. I haven’t worked at Starbucks but I’ve been a housecleaner and in the Army and tried to find some dignity and peace, tried to make the best of a hard situation, which I hope brother Chris can generate. Otherwise? He might be in for a lonnnnnnnng hard life of disappointments.
–A good tipper

I think at some point we all want to go “Office Space” at our employers and people who keep us employed, but most of these cases lack one thing – direction. In the movie what they wanted to do to get back at their company was steal the awful fax machine and steal money. Then some nut job burned the place down. That’s it!

There is nothing more I would love to do than publicly lash out at the inane, moste lugubrious gormandizing people I attend to each day vehemently attacking the organization I work for, but alas, where I live, it’s not so easy to find another job seeing as there are comforts my job affords. Unfortunately, good coffee is not one of them (and I’m not saying that Starbucks has good coffee, thank you Intelligentsia Coffee).

most employers have a clause in their contracts with employees (as mentioned repeatedly above) not to disparage the employer in public (or online… same thing in my book). a previous employer of mine specifically stipulated not mentioning them by name in blogs, etc… I see this as a perfectly reasonable term of employment. whether good or bad, searching the employer should not lead you to a host of employee rants. because i know that my online identity could be traced to location (at minimum), i won’t even mention the field i work in currently (especially if i have negative things to say).

his employer had every right to fire him… the real question here is: if he wanted to keep his job after posting this, why didn’t he set it a cartoon, or otherwise make his identity anonymous?

I never considered not getting tips as a fry cook to be fair or unfair. I didn’t expect tips. Even thought the cashiers had a little cup on the counter that sometimes got tips it didn’t bother me. I just did my job. I was 16-17 at the time so it was a just a job. I worked all the jobs too, front, back, opening & closing, taking apart the equipment. I didn’t give people incredulous looks for not tipping and I didn’t get snippy about what things were called
“It’s not a burger…sir…IT’S A WHOPPER.” isn’t something you are ever likely to hear at Burger King.

Hey, I drink so little coffee it’s good to try something new every now and then. I rarely return food items like that anyway (unless they are not edible). I hate causing other people extra work. Actually that is one of the reasons I always go in to order, so I can see what they are putting in my bag. That way I can just stop them before they have to throw something away.